1957 Aston-Martin DBR1/300 Pilots: C. Shelby, R. Salvadori Team: David Brown Racing Dept. Race: 1st overall (S 3.0 class) at Le Mans in 1959 Ixo - LM 1959 (diecast)
Published 08/02/18
Aston Martin started producing the DBR1 in 1956. At the time, it was Aston’s car for the World Sportscar Championship and non-championship races. For the new rules of 1956, above all racing cars didn’t need to have a road legal car as a base. For this reason, Ted Cutting, Aston Martin’s chief designer, created the DBR1 based only on the previous DB3S’ shape. The new car had a much lower profile and the back of the front wheel was closed. He designed a full bodywork that had a large triangular vent on the side. Consequently, that triangular vent design trait became standard on all future Astons. Initially, the DBR1 received the 2.5-liter all-alloy RB6.250 engine. However, from 1957 onwards the engine was upgraded to the RB6.300. It was a bigger inline-6 with 2992 cm³ of displacement, DOHC and 12 valves, rated at 250 hp.
The first race for the DBR1/300 at la Sarthe was in 1958. Aston had all their three chassis enrolled, in the hands of David Brown Racing. However, as luck would have it, all three cars had to abandon, with #DBR1/1 lasting the longest (173 laps). For the 1959 24 Heures du Mans the DBR1 was back, but this time four-strong. Chassis #DBR1/2, with Carroll Shelby and Roy Salvadori at the wheel, came in first place. Their teammates, driving #DBR1/4, managed second, 25 laps ahead of third place. Thus, it represented Aston Martin’s first and only outright victory at the endurance classic. As a curiosity, in 2017 chassis #DBR1/1 sold for mind-blowing US$ 22,550,000.00 in an auction!
In scale, Ixo made a true winner. Wheels are just terrific (usually Ixo makes very nice wire wheels) and overall detail is VERY nice. Spark’s version has the edge specially because of the nicer headlights. But even with the not-so-nice headlights, this is a smashing model.